Safety Tips

Playground Safety Tips Playground is a great place for children to get some exercise and hang around with their peers as part of a fun vacation. These playground safety tips are not just for when you are on holiday with your children, but should be kept in mind year round.   Safety Tips NEVER LEAVE YOUR CHILDREN UNSUPERVISED Don't allow young children to use public washrooms without close supervision. Apply sunscreen liberally and often. Check to see if the equipment is age appropriate for your children Review with your children the proper use of the equipment and your family’s basic safety rules eg, no running, pushing, or hurting other children, respect for other children and people using the equipment Hold handrails at all times Keep children under 5 within arms reach at all times - they should stay below 5 feet on equipment. Remind children not to go in front of swings  Check the equipment for safety and you can also enquire if the resort/hotel conducts weekly safety inspections for the equipment Playgrounds should have a soft deep surface of sand, pea gravel or wood chips that is at least 6 inches deep or soft rubber mats to protect children when they fall -grass, asphalt, concrete and dirt can cause serious injury in a fall. Check that children’s clothing can not get caught on the equipment remove any strings, and scarves and no skipping ropes on slides Check that metal slides, steps and platforms are not too hot to touch Children should wear shoes at all times on playgrounds - sharp objects and glass are always a concern Tell children to slide down feet first, one at a time, not head first. Long hair should be tied up and loose clothing should not be worn around the playground. Teach children not to put hands in their mouth and avoid having children eat while playing on pressure-treated wood playground equipment.  Wash hands immediately after playing on this type of equipment.   The following is a Safety checklist for parents:- Top 10 Checklist for Playground Safety Surfaces around playground equipment should be filled with at least 12 inches of loose fill, such as wood chips, mulch, sand or pea gravel. Most stationary equipment should have at least a 6-foot use zone in all directions. Any openings that can trap children (in guardrails or between ladder rungs) should be less than 3½ inches apart or more than 9 inches. Guardrails should surround all elevated platforms and should be at least 29 inches high for preschool-age children and 38 inches high for school-age children. Look for exposed concrete footings, tree roots or rocks that could trip children. Check for sharp edges and dangerous hardware, like open "S" hooks or protruding bolts. Make sure your child plays on age-appropriate equipment. Playgrounds should be maintained regularly. Report any problems. Remove hoods or drawstrings that can get caught on equipment. Supervise children while they play. All tips are offered as suggestions only.  While we have tried to provide you with a list of suggestions to help parents with children to keep them safe, unfortunately, we can’t think of everything and it is the responsibility of parents to ensure their children’s safety.